International Reports Expose Azerbaijan’s Environmental Destruction, Claims Yerevan – Asbarez.com

On Friday, Armenia firmly rejected Azerbaijan’s recent claims in an international legal forum. Azerbaijan filed a lawsuit against Armenia in The Hague, accusing it of causing environmental damage in the Artsakh region.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry released a statement alleging Armenia has been involved in “widespread deforestation, unsustainable logging, mining, and the construction of hydropower plants.” They argue that these actions violate the 1979 Berne Convention, which protects natural areas in Europe and parts of Africa.

Yegishe Kirakosyan, Armenia’s representative in international courts, dismissed Azerbaijan’s allegations as “baseless.” He promised that Armenia would counter these claims and reject the call for compensation under the Berne Convention.

Armenia pointed out that reports from the United Nations Environment Programme and independent organizations suggest that Azerbaijan is the one responsible for environmental harm in recent years. Kirakosyan stated that Armenia has a strong commitment to protecting its environment and wildlife, which is evident through its active participation in the Bern Convention.

The timing of Azerbaijan’s lawsuit follows a favorable ruling for Armenia last year. An official statement emphasized that Azerbaijan’s legal approach misinterprets the purpose of the Bern Convention, which aims to foster cooperation among states in conserving nature.

This lawsuit comes just a week after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hinted at the possibility of withdrawing from ongoing legal cases in international courts. His comments were made during a discussion in Washington, as part of efforts to resolve outstanding issues in a peace deal with Azerbaijan. However, this raised concerns among legal experts, who believe that these cases are vital for the displaced Armenians from Artsakh who are victims of ethnic cleansing.

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